Bama softball beats Oregon, advances to WCWS championship series

From the University of Alabama Athletics Department:

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – The Alabama softball team beat No. 1 seed Oregon, 2-0 to advance to the championship series of the 2014 Women's College World Series being held in Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, Okla.

The Crimson Tide goes to 53-11 on the year while the Ducks finished out at 56-9-1. It was Alabama's ninth-straight win in WCWS play.

Senior All-American Jaclyn Traina picked up the win for Alabama in the pitching circle, pushing her record to 26-3 on the season, while sophomore Cheridan Hawkins took the loss for Oregon, falling to 35-6.

Alabama broke open a tight game in the bottom of the fifth inning when sophomore All-American Haylie McCleney socked a solo homerun over the right field wall. Senior Kaila Hunt then scored on a Molly Fichtner single to centerfield to round out the scoring. The Tide scattered nine hits throughout the game.

With the win, Alabama advances to the WCWS championship series for the second time in three years. Alabama will face Southeastern Conference foe Florida (53-12) in game one of the best of three series Monday, June 2 at 7 p.m. CT on ESPN2. Alabama was 2-1 against the Gators during the regular season. It marks the first time that two SEC teams have met in the championship series.